Businesses with a Social Purpose: Inspiring Results from the Second Cohort of REDpreneurUA
At the end of August, the Ukrainian Red Cross team carried out a monitoring visit to meet the winners of the second cohort of the REDpreneurUA programme. In six regions across Ukraine, they witnessed the most valuable outcome: social entrepreneurs who, after completing the training and receiving grants, are now putting innovative solutions into practice — transforming their own lives and the lives of their communities.
These visits are not inspections. They are an opportunity to meet people who, thanks to the programme, have taken a step forward and are now creating jobs, supporting others, and restoring hope for the future. For the programme team, it’s a chance to experience the atmosphere on the ground, hear about the challenges, and offer support where it’s most needed. And for the entrepreneurs, it’s a sign that they are not alone.
In the Khmelnytskyi region, social entrepreneurship is growing in the field of green tourism, with the Lavender Apiary project combining beekeeping, nature, and therapy to support recovery for both civilians and veterans. In another region, the Poletily drone training school, founded by veterans, offers Ukraine’s defenders the chance to gain new skills and explore career opportunities in agricultural technology.
The Baby Swim Academy in the Zakarpattia region offers a unique space where infants, from the earliest weeks of life, can experience water and undergo physical rehabilitation. For parents, it’s not only about improving their children’s health, but also about believing in a healthier future for them.
A resident of Lysychansk, who lost her home due to the war, found the strength to revive her flower business — Green House Lily. Today, she is once again growing plants, creating jobs, and writing a new chapter for her family. In another part of central Ukraine, a veteran entrepreneur and his former comrades launched a project called Furniture for People — a line of flat-pack furniture that supports people with disabilities while also creating the potential for hundreds of new jobs across the country.
These examples show that social entrepreneurship during wartime is about more than just the economy — it’s about people’s lives, restoring dignity, and supporting communities facing new challenges every day.
“When we visit participants, we see not just businesses, but the positive changes they bring to those around them. Monitoring visits give us the chance to hear real stories, understand the challenges, and provide support where it’s needed most. It’s important to us that REDpreneurUA is more than just a programme of training and grants — it’s a living community where people support and inspire each other to build the future together,” said Olena Skrypnikova, Head of the Innovative Financing and Cash Transfer Programming Unit at the Ukrainian Red Cross.
Participants in the second cohort say that for them, these visits are not inspections but meaningful support — something that gives them confidence in their own abilities, even in the most difficult times. They describe REDpreneurUA as “the best programme” and a true source of support.
REDpreneurUA is an initiative by the Ukrainian Red Cross in partnership with the Austrian Red Cross, supported by the Neighbour in Need Foundation (Austria). The programme helps vulnerable groups establish social businesses that transform communities and lay the groundwork for Ukraine’s recovery.
